FUTURE-READY HR PROFESSIONALS: REDESIGNING MANAGEMENT EDUCATION FOR INDUSTRY 5.0

The transition from Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0 signifies a fundamental shift from technology-driven efficiency to a more human-centric, sustainable, and resilient industrial paradigm. This transformation redefines the role of Human Resource (HR) professionals as strategic enablers of human-machine collaboration, ethical governance, and workforce well being. However, existing management education systems remain predominantly aligned with Industry 4.0 frameworks, focusing on automation, analytics, and operational efficiency, thereby creating a gap between academic preparation and industry expectations. This paper explores the need to redesign management education to develop future-ready HR professionals capable of thriving in Industry 5.0 environments. Adopting a conceptual and literature-based approach, the study identifies emerging competency requirements, including digital fluency, emotional intelligence, sustainability orientation, and strategic thinking. It further examines critical gaps in current curricula, such as limited interdisciplinary integration, inadequate industry exposure, and insufficient emphasis on experiential learning and ethical dimensions.